Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
~ 1 Corinthians 13:13 MSG

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

"There are differences between boys and girls." People told me this all the time when my son was born after our two girls. Oh there are. My little boy spends much of his time crawling around on his knees, wears out the toes of his boots so fast it makes my head spin, and has an energy that never stops. I stop whatever I'm doing just to watch him put away the silver ware, because every time it's a sword fighting battle all the way to the drawer. He follows his daddy around with a million questions, takes our dog with him wherever he goes, and has a friendship with his sisters that makes my heart smile. My sweet son wraps his arms around my neck for no reason at all and declares with a sweetness that I seriously cannot put into words, "I love you TOO much!!" He twirls his fingers in my hair until he falls asleep while I read to him on the couch. Of course, there are moments of exhaustion and trial, but it's an amazing gift of love and I can't imagine my life with him.

Take a moment to think of the sweet children who don't get a chance to express their love in this way, no mother's neck to wrap their arms around. There is no daddy to follow around to answer the million questions that wander through their mind. Right now, we are praying with certainty that there IS a family out there for Mark.

That his Mama is aching to read stories to her sweet boy and watch him play for hours. His daddy might not have ALL the answers for the millions of questions he'll ask over the years, but he'll do his best, and maybe there are sisters and brothers just waiting to share the special bond known only to siblings. Maybe it's your family, maybe it's the family of someone you know. Most of the time I ask for donations and help for his grant. I know I always ask you to share, but today, I'm begging you to share. Mark has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Without treatment it's deadly. BUT 94% of children who are treated appear cured. I can't say I know what it's like to parent a child with an illness of this magnitude. I can imagine the questions that someone considering adoption is asking... "What about all that time in the hospitals? What about the medical costs? What about my other children? What if he doesn't make it?" I don't have answers, I only know that when we turn to the Lord in our weakness, it's His time to shine. His glory to be revealed. This little boy needs a family that is open to the graces of God and the love of a lifetime. There is NO love like that of a child. Boy or girl. THAT I do know. So, yes, I am asking for your donations if you can help.(Right-hand sidebar, click "donate" - thank you!!) But most of all, today, I am asking you to share. You know people I don't, who know people you don't, and maybe... your sharing will open the door for his family.